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After a year-long Occupy Homes campaign for a renegotiated loan, Vietnam veteran John Vinje and his wife Lucinda Adams chose to peacefully leave their home on their October eviction date. US Bank and Freddie Mac sent 24 sheriff's deputies to make sure they didn't change their minds. John, Lucinda, and their adult children are now living in unstable, uncertain circumstances.

But this experience has only strengthened their resolve to fight back. As Lucinda says, "This is not over yet." On December 6, we will reclaim a vacant home and move in a family made homeless by the foreclosure crisis. Join us on Thursday to escalate our fight for housing justice.

American Friends Service Committee/Atlanta reports on an amazing trip by retired police officer and cancer patient Jacqueline Barber to Minneapolis, Minnesota to deliver the signatures of thousands of people who have signed a petition standing with her on Start2.OccupyOurHomes.org. Jacqueline was joined by friends and members of Occupy Our Homes Atlanta on the trip and once they arrived in Minneapolis, they were supported by the fine people of Occupy Homes MN.

Here's more of Jacqueline's story:

After joining Occupy Our Homes Atlanta and standing up publicly to GMAC and US Bank against her eviction, Ms. Barber was told by representatives of GMAC to make an offer to buy back her home, which she can afford at current market value.

Following their direction, Jacqueline put in an offer and GMAC sent an appraiser to her home. After saying they would report back about the appraisal, they instead backed away from negotiations, built a wall of silence, and have since pushed strongly ahead in the process to get Ms. Barber evicted.

The stress of facing eviction has already brought Jacqueline's cancer out of remission. Recently, Ms. Barber went to her doctor who told her that she will have to resume aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatments if she is unable to relax and stay stress free while undergoing her current treatment.

Jacqueline and OOH ATL joined up with Occupy Homes MN and the Home Defenders League to make this powerful action possible:

Today Jacqueline marched on US Bank and GMAC-RFC with allies from Occupy Homes MN, and the Home Defenders League. The solidarity in the emerging housing justice movement was amazing and inspiring !The goal was to keep Jacqueline in her home, in good health, and to shine a light on the unjust illegal fraud at the hands of the financial institutions that continue to hold our communities and our economy hostage.

We were able to force meetings with both US Bank and GMAC and deliver over 20,000 signatures on petition urging US Bank and GMAC to do the right thing and make a deal that would keep Jacqueline and her family in the home. We also delivered pay stubs and bank account statements that prove Jacqueline could afford the home.

Debbie and her husband had both been diagnosed with cancer and Ron lost his second job. The bank erroneously claimed they missed a payment, and even though they tried valiantly to make up the payments, but the bank refused them and requests for modification. 11 months after vowing to keep her home, Debbie has finally exhausted the possibilities in the courts, and is standing her ground, with a standing eviction order, on the moral claim that families’ homes are more important than bank profits.

Today US Bank and GMAC lawyers fought to lift the stay on Jacqueline Barber’s home. Although we packed the courtroom with supporters, they were successful, which brings them one step closer to being able to evict Jacqueline and her four young grandchildren. The case failed because Jacqueline’s Chapter 13 bankruptcy (which was grounds for the stay) was filed after the home was sold on the court house steps.

It is clear that US Bank and GMAC intent to begin the eviction process immediately.

Jacqueline has made it clear that she will fight no matter what stating that, "If they come to put me out, I hope Occupy Our Homes will be carried out with me because they're going to have to have to physically remove me from the property. I refuse to roll over and play dead."

Occupy Our Homes ATL plans to dual track the bank the same way they dual tracked Jacqueline and millions of other Americans. Jacqueline was dual tracked when America's Servicing Company claimed they were working on her modification while simultaneously foreclosing on her. Occupy Our Homes ATL will dual track US Bank and GMAC by helping Jacqueline pursue legal action in state court and taking aggressive direct action to keep Jacqueline and her family in their home.

Tomorrow morning at 11am we will be launching a full scale 24/7 occupation of Jacqueline’s home. We will be joined by many of Jacqueline's former co-workers at the APD and other supporters, many of whom have committed to refuse to leave when the marshals come to evict. We invite the press for interviews at 11am.

Monday, September 10th, 2012 touched off a national week of action targeting Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Led by the Fannie and Freddie 99, groups of fearless families from across the country marched through Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York to defend their homes.

Fannie and Freddie own 59% of all mortgages in the US. American taxpayers bailed out Fannie and Freddie in 2008, and now we own 79% of these financial institutions. However, these behemoths refuse to take positive steps to end the housing crisis. Ed DeMarco, the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (which oversees Freddie and Fannie) would rather steamroll through the eviction and foreclosure process and sell vacant homes to the same investors that caused the crisis than take measures to keep families in their homes. The Fannie and Freddie 99 demand that Obama fire DeMarco and replace him with someone who will stop all evictions of Fannie and Freddie properties, carry out principle reduction on mortgages, and stop selling vacant homes to investors.

This week, a 30-second TV ad featuring six real-life foreclosure fighters will air on national television. The spot advertises ‘Occupy Our Homes,’ an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement that has empowered thousands of people in housing crisis to fight back against fraudulent foreclosures, to demand fair treatment by mortgage lenders, and, in many cases, to keep their homes. The ad ends with a plug for the movement’s website, OccupyHomes.org, where people can find helpful resources and success stories of communities that have fought back against the banks.

The spot opens with Monique White, a north Minneapolis resident who was the first resident to approach an Occupy group for help in fighting foreclosure. Activists with Occupy Minneapolis occupied her front lawn with tents and banners, and kicked off a seven-month campaign that led to US Bank renegotiating her loan. Five out of the six people featured—including an Atlanta pastor who joined with Occupy to fight the foreclosure of his historic Vine City church—have won their campaigns and fended off foreclosure.

“We’re all in this together,” said Marine veteran and longtime Minneapolis resident Bobby Hull. “Even after we bailed out the banks, they’re stilling trying to take the homes of millions of Americans. I hope this ad will inspire people to fight back like I did, and join forces with the Occupy Homes movement.”

Update August 3: Great news! Rain was able to raise enough money to keep her home. She writes:

I have great friends and they have great friends and we were able to do it. ...Thank you so much.

Rain was supported by over 475 people on Start2.OccupyOurHomes.org, which in turn helped her raise the money she needed to keep her home. This is a great win for Rain and Summer. Thanks to everyone who helped make it a reality.

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Last week, when we launched Start2.OccupyOurHomes.org, one of the first people to create a campaign was Rain Burroughs. In her campaign targeting the Virginia Housing Development Authority, Rain wrote:

Dear VHDA folks, I admit to my shortcomings, and want to make things right. My 12 year old daughter has been sick for some time and was finally diagnosed correctly with juvenile arthritis. I suffer from depression and have not dealt with a lot very well. I am employed full time and Summer is finally getting the help she needs. Now that bankruptcy court is not protecting us, I have three hundred twenty dollars more dollars with which to pay you.

Once she set up her campaign, Rain started organizing. In just a few days, almost 400 people have signed her petition. She's now recorded a video to thank the people who have joined in her fight to save her home. Rain is also asking for donations to help pay to keep her home.

Check out this inspiring video of Occupy Bernal and ACCE Foreclosure Fighter Ross Rhodes talking about how he organized to pressure Wells Fargo to give him a modification on his mortgage and keep his home. From the video's description:

Democracy is dying. Corporate campaign contributions are simply legalized bribes, and the most powerful corporations of all are the banks. They foreclose and evict people with no protection from the government and hold the courts in their pockets. Ross Rhodes knows what it's like, but fortunately for him, he found the super heroes who can bring the banks to their knees. Don't give up hope! Instead, listen as he tells you his secret to staying in your home and making the banks come to you.

Buck from Occupy Bernal writes:

Wells Fargo Bank agreed to give Ross an affordable loan modification, with a $259,000 principal forbearance in the form of a sleeping, no interest second mortgage. They have also agreed to negotiate with Occupy Bernal/SF ACCE/Occupy Noe on August 3, 2012 over loan modification for 23 foreclosure fighters. We'll see if they produce. We'll keep the pressure on in any case, and increase it if they don't. Thus far, in 2012, we have forced Wells Fargo to postpone almost 120 property auctions for about 30 foreclosure fighters, and won loan modifications for some, but not yet all.

This is amazing, inspiring work! Keep it up Occupy Bernal, ACCE and Occupy Noe!

Bank of America created the mortgage crisis and economic recession by betting on our homes like poker chips. As millions of homeowners became victim to foreclosure and bankruptcy, Bank of America received $45 billion dollars in government bailouts and used it to reward each of their 172 executives with $1 million bonuses. It is time that American homeowners receive their bailout.

Frank Clark, Kristina Darrington, Ruby Brown, Gerrardo Cajmarcas, and Paul Lelii are five homeowners facing foreclosure with Bank of America who have taken the pledge to fight with Occupy Homes MN. They are the "Minnesota 5." Stand with us during the Bank of America Week of Action from July 15-22 and help keep them in their homes!

Anita Reyes-Reley planned on moving out of her South Minneapolis home last Tuesday when she received an eviction notice from Hennepin County Sheriffs. Now she is unpacking her boxes, planting a garden, and building community support to stay in her home.

“All that I am asking is for Woodlands National Bank to sit down and negotiate with me, so I can stay in my community,” said Anita.

Ms. Reyes-Reley, who has owned her home for 17 years, fell behind on her mortgage when her hours were cut and vertigo prevented her from making the 100-mile one-way drive to work. She reached out to Cindy Koonce, Vice President at Woodlands National Bank, to find a solution to stay in her house. Ms. Koonce told Anita she would do everything she could to help her. The Attorney General offered to look over Anita’s loan documents for the bank. Anita returned to work, earning more than enough to afford her mortgage. To Anita’s shock, however, on the end date of her redemption period, Ms. Koonce called Anita and told her she needed to leave her home.

With the help of Occupy Homes MN, Anita began building a public pressure campaign, including call-ins and a petition, for Woodlands National Bank to renegotiate her mortgage so she could stay in her home. That same day, Ms. Koonce called Anita and made a concrete offer to keep her in her home. But the following day, when Anita showed up to negotiate, she was told that the offer was off the table due to a minor technicality: she had called the bank four minutes too late.

“This is not about four minutes,” said Occupy Homes MN organizer Chris Gray. “The bank’s erratic behavior is disturbing. I can’t imagine a world where the difference between 11:59 and 12:04 should mean a woman gets thrown into the street.”

Here is new video from Take Back the Land Madison about a housing liberation of a vacant foreclosed Bank of America home. The duplex was liberated 9 months ago and has served as a home for a total of 11 adults and 7 children, some of whom have saved up enough money to move out and rent their own place. Bank of America will be making attempts to move the remaining people out in August and we are getting ready for the struggle. We are demanding they turn the home over to the community land trust so it can be used as affordable housing rather than kick people out. We feel they have foreclosed on enough people unjustly, done enough predatory lending, and gotten enough of our tax payer dollars through ongoing bailouts that this is public housing and should be owned by the community.

Occupy Our Homes has entered a 30-second TV ad in a contest to get crowd-sourced funding for the ad—with real voices of homeowners fighting foreclosure and winning—to appear on national television. We hope to raise awareness about the #OccupyHomes movement, and connect more people facing foreclosure with the resources to organize for justice.

The 30-second ad, produced during Occupy Our Homes field visits to Minneapolis and Atlanta, features Monique White, Bobby Hull, and Colleen McKee Espinosa, all of whom fought foreclosure and won, with support from Occupy Homes MN. It also features Pastor Dexter Johnson of the Higher Ground Empowerment Center—a baptist church in Atlanta—and highly-decorated Army veteran Brigitte Walker of Riverdale, GA. Occupy Our Homes Atlanta fought alongside Pastor Johnson and Brigitte Walker, to save a church and a veteran's home. Lastly, it features Christine Frazer, a 62-year old irrepressible and generous grandmother who was evicted in the middle of the night from her home in Dekalb County, GA., along with her 85-year old mother, and 3-year old grandson. Chris Frazer has filed suit over the fraudulent foreclosure and eviction, and Occupy Our Homes is still standing with her.

Their stories, and that of the growing #OccupyHomes movement, is told in an article on Alternet, by behind-the-scenes Occupy Our Homes organizer Han Shan.

Yesterday morning, homeowner Anita Reyes-Reley was served an eviction notice on the door of her home of 17 years. Yet in a dramatic turn of events, by 3:00pm she received an offer from Woodlands National Bank that would keep her in her home. This improbable victory, the second for Occupy Homes MN in one week, comes after community supporters successfully lead a pressure campaign consisting of phone calls, emails, and a petition to the bank demanding they negotiate a new loan for Anita.

“I’ve been waiting for this call for six months, and I wouldn’t have gotten it without Occupy Homes,” said homeowner Anita Reyes-Reley. “We’ve built a lot of pressure over the past month and the final push from community members over the past couple days finally brought the bank to the table.”

This announcement was shared with 60 community members, including nationally renowned local hip-hop artist Brother Ali, in front of the Cruz family home. The community rallied today to send off the Cruz family, whose battle against an unjust foreclosure has become a focal point for the Occupy movement, to PNC bank headquarters in Pittsburgh to renegotiate their mortgage. The rally and Anita’s victory mark the kick-off of a coordinated week of actions across the country designed to bring national attention to the Cruz family’s situation.

Citibank is messing with the wrong family. Over the weekend, Occupy Homes MN announced that it was launching a campaign to defend a home some of the local activists know very well; for 16 years, it's been the home of local Occupy Homes organizer Nick Espinosa. [Watch the video to meet Colleen & Nick, and see their home.]

According to an Occupy Homes MN press release:

Nick's mother, Colleen McKee Espinosa is a single mother of three who owns the property and is facing foreclosure after Citibank refused to accept a payment on her mortgage, having moved up the due date for her payment without her knowledge. They then added thousands of dollars in attorney fees because the home went into foreclosure, making it impossible for her to catch up. Colleen has worked as a registered nurse for over 25 years, serving and caring for others, and now she needs our support.

Dozens of local Northeast Minneapolis community members, as well as activists with Occupy Homes MN and Occupy Minneapolis gathered at their home on Saturday for a Foreclosure Free Barbeque. They shared stories and food, and vowed to work together to keep the family in their home.

Nick Espinosa said, "We announced our goals today—to put up 300 yard signs and get 1,000 signatures from our Northeast neighbors demanding a negotiation to keep us in our home. We hope that other Northeast homeowners, both going through foreclosure and underwater, will join us in this fight."

In a video about Colleen's story made by Occupy Homes organizers, she says:

"I have decided that I'm not leaving my home until we get a good faith negotiation. I'm fighting to send the message to other people not to give up, because if you're isolated you can't fight these people. I'd tell the banks they better watch out because people are catching on to their game and a lot of people are going to fight back now."

Every week, foreclosed homes are sold at auctions throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Many of the families who live in these homes were victims of predatory loans and deceptive banking practices, but now face imminent evictions from some of the biggest culprits of financial fraud in the banking and mortgage industry. Others will have their house bought out by speculators, who are looking to flip properties, or gentrify new neighborhoods.

Watch the powerful new 'call to action' video and if you're in New York, join O4O and Occupy Wall Street (OWS) activists to occupy the forecluse auctions:

On 4.9.2012 Occupy Raleigh along with Occupy Greensboro, Take Back The Land, Save Our Homes, and Mortgage Fraud NC attempted to defend the home of a family illegally foreclosed on in Southeast Raleigh. This is a recap of the day's events including the eventual arrests. IMPORTANT NOTES: This was not an attempt by Occupy to squat. This was an attempt to allow the family access to their belongings before they were trashed, and to hopefully allow them some way to stay in the home and/or bring attention to the reality of mortgage fraud. Occupy's assistance was in fact requested by the homeowner!

Occupy Fights Foreclosures, a sub-committee of Occupy LA, held a special community meeting in the living room of Ingrid Ortiz, a disabled woman who suffers from Toxic Plasmsis Cerebral Palsy. Her family fell victim to a predatory loan from Countrywide.

She hired a Golden Globe Investments to help with the foreclosure. She paid $4,500.00 and gave them her documents. They refused to give her money or documents back. Members of Occupy LA/Occupy Fights Foreclosures got her money and documents back.

This family has also been victimized by Maxim Property too. They had moved a "security guard" into the second unit. He called the cops on us but the LAPD said we could be there to protect the families belonging that were thrown out of the house. We scare the security guard away. And the LAPD left too.

Then 2 more Maxim employees came to deal with us but we dealt with them. They called the police again. But after much talk and one occupier being handcuffed and detained in the back of a cop car. The police left and the employee of Maxim opened the door, turned on the lights, and let the family into the house.

We helped the family to move back in and now we have an encampment at their house. We will help them with the rest of the fight. Please join us.

Let's Lose Our House is a smart and funny look at the often misunderstood roots of the housing crash. This short film follows the "all American family" from buying their first home to seeing it foreclosed on and shows how banks and the large financial industry destroyed peoples lives through fraudulent practices. This film was produced by the Foreclosure Working Group of Occupy Greensboro, North Carolina.

On Monday, February 27th at noon, South Minneapolis homeowner Bobby Hull, supporters from Occupy Homes MN and Neighborhoods Organizing for Change and will publicly declare victory in their fight to save Hull’s family home from an unfair and avoidable foreclosure. Following a three-month public campaign, Hull’s lender has agreed renegotiate his mortgage so that he and his family can keep their home!!

"We hope that Bobby's story will inspire communities around the country to stand up and fight against unfair and immoral foreclosures. His success is proof that we can win if we rally our friends and neighbors and stick together. Rather than a miracle, we look at this deal as one that's appropriate for necessary if we're going to get the American economy back on track." -Anthony Newby, Neighborhoods Organizing for Change

Hull says he will continue to support others facing foreclosure. “We won't stop until all Americans across the country get the same deal that I did.” said Hull.

Sporting goggles, snorkels, flippers and life preservers, more than 150 demonstrators marched on the big banks on January 30th to call attention to the scourge of underwater mortgages. Foreclosure victims lead by City Life and New England’s Bank Tenant Associations were joined by allies from MASSUNITING and the Occupy movement in calling on financial institutions to take meaningful steps to address the mortgage crisis. Their primary demand of JP Morgan Chase, Fannie Mae, Bank of America and other big banks: reduce the principal owed on underwater homes.

“Millions of homes are underwater due to the greed of Bank of America, Fannie Mae, JP Morgan Chase and the rest of the big banks,” said Melonie Griffiths, an organizer with City Life/Vida Urbana. “They’re directly responsible for the mortgage crisis, and it’s about time they did something to clean up their wreckage and help drowning homeowners.”

Fred Shrum bought his house in 2007 and began working on it. “I had hoped to lay down some roots and become part of this community,” he said. “I’ve been fixing up the house since then, installing new windows and insulation. I think I’ve put about $20,000 into it in renovations, altogether.”

Shrum isn’t ready to let go. As he said at the press conference, he and his family are prepared to stay in the house as an act of civil disobedience and in protest of how bailed-out banks treat U.S. homeowners. With the help of Occupy Our Homes and groups including Occupy Detroit, People Before Banks, Moratorium Now, and UAW Local 600, they will fight the eviction.

“I don’t expect anyone to give me the house,” Shrum said. “I just want to be treated fairly. I want Wells Fargo to come back to the table and see if we can find an arrangement that works in both our interests.”

Occupy Idaho Falls helped stop Wells Fargo from foreclosing and evicting Karla Covington. The foreclosure would have violated a court order and the bold action by Karla and Occupy Idaho Falls to occupy her home and resist Wells Fargo enabled Karla to keep her home.

In 2008, Arturo de los Santos, a former Marine who lives with his wife and four children in Riverside, CA, fell victim to the economic crash caused by the greed of those on Wall Street. Like millions of Americans, he faced the prospect of mortgage default. Arturo was then encouraged by JPMorgan Chase & Co. to deliberately fall behind on his payments in order to modify his loan. A loan owned by Freddie Mac. Thinking the bank had his best intentions in mind, Arturo followed their instructions. Instead, JPMorgan greedily foreclosed on him, evicting Arturo and his family. Since then, Arturo has decided to fight back and re-occupy his home, even as he faces the possibility of arrest!

Arturo could be forcefully removed from his house at any time. Cuéntame and the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) are working together to spread Arturo's story as wide as possible and tell JP Morgan and Freddie Mac that the abuse must end today! We need your help.

On Friday January 27 at 3:30pm Occupy Atlanta will rally at 404 Glen Iris and march side by side with the Pittman family to Chase Bank where we will demand the deed to the home that is rightfully theirs, letting the bank know we refuse to work with them on their terms. Occupy Atlanta is one of many Occupy groups participating in this nationwide struggle against JPMorgan Chase, a corporation that treats the general public as no more than means to the ends of profit. Like many hardworking individuals across the nation, the late Ms. Eloise Pittman was victimized by predatory lending. The Pittman family has been fighting to save the family home since November 2011. This past week Chase gave the Pittman family an ultimatum: either buy back their home or accept the $2500 “cash for keys” offer. Occupy Atlanta will be escalating the campaign against these predatory banks beginning Friday. Friday’s action promises to be bold, diverse and unlike anything Occupy Atlanta has done yet. Pastors from multiple Churches will participate in the march and hold a prayer service outside the bank, while others with OA enact creative direct action.

Liberate the South Side’s January 19th home liberation was a success! More than 30 South Side community leaders, neighbors, and a number of clergy met at the corner of 87th on Kenwood during an afternoon snow flurry before liberating a vacant home for a displaced family. Reporters, local news cameras, and photographers gathered around the group to document the rally lead by Pastor Vance of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church and new tenants of the liberated home. In the moments leading up to liberating the home there was so much joy and excitement, that participants barely noticed the cold brisk winds stirring.

Pastor Dexter Johnson reached out to Occupy Atlanta on the eve of a court date in which BB&T bank had hoped to force the eviction of the 108 year old Vine City Church. Higher Ground Empowerment Center has been a lifeline in this underserved community, so it was with no hesitation that we committed to fight alone side the church.

Update: We won! Helen Bailey's home was saved and she'll be able to keep it!

Tell Chase that in Nashville, in America, we don’t throw elderly ladies out on the street. In Nashville, in America, we fight for what’s right. Helen Bailey marched for civil rights. It's our turn to march for Helen Bailey.

An update from Occupy Birmingham. The Wards' auction date was pushed back 2 weeks. The new date is now January 26th. In the video above the Wards and members of their community talk about why they are occupying their home and fighting to stop their eviction by Bank of America.

Via The Uptake, here's a great video of Occupy Minneapolis and the homeowners, organizers, and activists who are coming together to fight for homes. Included in the video are home occupiers Bobby Hull and Leslie Parks. It's an inspirational look at how the Occupy Our Homes movement is growing and moving forward.

Lila Kara's home at 1433 W. Lombard Street is the subject of a foreclosure proceeding. On Saturday, Jan. 8, 2012, a rally was held in front of her home. Her case is pending in the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. Nevertheless, the bank is pushing to have the Sheriff of Baltimore City evict her this Tuesday, January 10, 2012, at or around 10 AM. To learn more, go to: http://occupybmore.org/event/occupy-our-homes-rally-and-move-event-1.

UPDATE (5-29-2012): The Ward family won! With the help of Occupy Birmingham and activists around the country, the Wards forced Bank of America to the table and negotiated a deal that will let them keep their house. Learn about it here.

UPDATE (1-17-2012): As a result of the hard work and participation of people like you, we have been successful in opening communication with Bank of America. The Wards received a phone call from Bank of America corporate offices, and they have moved the foreclosure sale date to March 29, 2012. Communication lines are open, and this is a first step toward potential negotiations. As a direct result of your participation, YOU have given the Wards a voice in standing up to Bank of America’s wrongful foreclosure.

This is not the end. We demand that Bank of America commit to a negotiation where the Wards gain ownership of the home that is rightfully theirs.

Occupy Birmingham is taking a stand against Bank of America by moving into local communities to help those under the threat of wrongful foreclosure. Our first “Occupy Our Homes” action is on the behalf of the Ward family. Due to a real estate agent’s fraud, the Wards are on the brink of losing their home even though they’ve NEVER MISSED A SINGLE PAYMENT. While they have the ability to continue paying their mortgage, Bank of America refuses to allow them to keep their home (which they’ve already paid over 35,000 dollars on) after a real estate company pocketed 2 years of payments made on the property. Rather than allow the family to pay on the home, the bank prefers to lose money and offer it up for auction on January 12 January 26. Not only will this cost the Wards’ their home, but the entire neighborhood is devalued by rising number of foreclosures.

Yesterday, Robert and Debbie Henry of Southgate, Michigan were joined by 150 supporters including family, neighbors, church members, as well as UAW Local 600 and Occupy Our Homes. They marched on Bank of America and demanded an end to attempts to evict them from their home of 8 years.

This video was posted by Ohio Fraudclosure Blog and includes footage from when sheriff's officers came to evict the Bayless family in Columbus, Ohio. Fortunately the actions of Occupy Columbus, Ohio Fraudclosure Blog and the Bayless family's attorney stopped their eviction at the time. But this is a look inside the terrifying and common experience of what happens when the banks send the police to take a family's home.

Since September of 2008, Take Back the Land Rochester has been defending homes against foreclosure and liberating empty bank owned homes by moving homeless families into them. Recently they moved in another family into a home, taking them off the streets and giving their family and health a chance to survive.

The National Day of Action to stop and reverse foreclosures was an incredible and inspiring launch of the Occupy Our Homes movement. Around the country, thousands of activists turned out to support dozens of home actions around the country. The occupation of homes in East New York, organized by Occupy Wall Street, VOCAL-NY, Organizing for Occupation, New York Communities for Change and countless supporters has continued to inspire us as their occupations have continued. Here is a series of videos which take us through the December 6th Day of Action to show how the day unfolded. Go below the fold to see the videos.

In line with the growing Occupy Our Homes movement, Take Back the Land Rochester and Occupy Rochester held a rally outside of the City leaders at Vision Future: Rochester's Leadership Team conference held by Rochester Downtown Development Corporation. Instead of investing in corporate projects they asked that this money could be used to deal with the growing housing epidemic in the city.

Causa Justa::Just Cause has an amazing report from their housing actions in San Francisco:

Tues, Dec 6, we joined 27 other cities in a national day of action to “Occupy Our Homes”. We collaborated with Occupy Oakland activists to take over a vacant home in West Oakland, which is owned by Fannie Mae. Earlier this year Fannie Mae foreclosed on the home of CJJC member and domestic worker from East Oakland, Margarita Ramirez, as a servicer pretended to negotiate with her. Thanks to your support in July, the servicer (Bank of America) agreed to rescind the sale & modify the loan, but Fannie Mae is now standing in our way. Neighborhood activists are occupying the vacant house as leverage to pressure Fannie Mae to return the Ramirez family’s deed.

“Our home was our future, and we thought that we’d invested wisely. We were making our payments, even though now it’s worth a third of what we paid for it.,” said Debbie, a former manager at a food services company. “But after I had my stroke, we just couldn’t keep up. We tried to work with the banks to get a fair deal, but they gave us the run-around for years. Now they want to throw us out. I thought they got all this taxpayer money so that families like us could have a second chance.”

Today is the Occupy Our Homes National Day of Action to Stop and Reverse Foreclosures. Actions are taking place in over twenty-five cities around America, as the Occupy movement joins with homeowners and people fighting for a place to live. Our system has been serving Wall Street, big banks, and the one percent. Clearly this has not worked. We are the 99% and we are reclaiming our homes.

Follow this post for updates from around the country today. Go below to see videos from the day of action.

On October 13, members of Organizing for Occupation (O4O), a collective of New York City housing activists, teamed up with Occupy Wall Street protesters to successfully block a Brooklyn foreclosure auction. Nine people were arrested, and all were released with minor charges. They called on the judicial system to institute an immediate moratorium on all foreclosures until a fair system of home loans is put into place, and disrupted the auction of several foreclosed Brooklyn properties in Civil Court by singing:

This is an incredible video from an action by Occupy Minneapolis to help protect Sa'ra Kaiser's foreclosed home. The video is on YouTubeand is described as follows:

November 19th, 2011: Occupy Minneapolis encountered a bit more resistance from the authorities on day one of #Operation Occupy Southside than expected. Following two arrests and an incident in which a police officer tried to run down an occupier with a squad car, Occupy Minneapolis formed a human chain around Sa'ra Kaiser's foreclosed home, preventing the officers from boarding it up, and ultimately forcing the police - who had no legitimate legal pretense for preventing occupiers from being their in the first place - to give up and leave.

Stop Foreclosures

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